About Rajkot

Rajkot

Rangilu Rajkot

Rani Lakshmibai Circle and Under Bridge

Culture

The people in Rajkot are predominantly vegetarians and are vehemently against any form of hunting. The women in Rajkot are very fond of jewellery. Large chains, pendants and other heavy gold jewellery are a common sight during marriages, festivals and family functions. The attire changes with the season and approaching festivals. The ladies normally wear the Gujarati flavour of the Sari and men can be seen in flowing Kurtas and in the formal wears (shirts and trousers).

Rajkot is multicultural. One can find many languages, like Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, English, Sindhi, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam and Marathi. However, only Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, and English are well understood. Rajkot is the part of Kathiyawad. Because of this people of Rajkot are also known as Kathiyawadi.

Rajkot is frequently referred to as "Rangilu Rajkot" (રંગીલુ રાજકોટ) meaning colourful Rajkot. .. Shopkeepers mostly close their business between 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm.

This is the house where Gandhiji's father, Karamchand Uttanchand Gandhi (Kaba Gandhi) resided at Rajkot, serving as Diwan (Prime Minister) to the King. Gandhiji himself spent a few years of his early life here from 1881 to 1887. This is a typical Saurashtra 'dela' type house with a central approach from an arched gateway. It was built on 1880–81 A.D. and today it depicts an interesting photo essay of his life.

The Lang Library and the G.T. Sheth Library collect thousands of documents and books covering every period in Rajkot and Saurashtra (region) history. Rajkot has many other public libraries with many branches throughout the city. It includes Rotary Midtown of Rajkot City Library and many more.

Watson Museum And Library: The Watson Museum today has a collection of human history and culture. Its collection has precious objects of colonial period of India and History of Rajkot. Located in the pleasant Jubilee Garden, the museum is a good introduction to Saurashtra's cultural heritage. Rajkot Memon Boarding is headquarters of Muslim activities before 1947. Saurashtra Muslim league held many Muslim convention at Rajkot Memon boarding ground.

Awards

Best LAW and Order city – 2013

Performing Arts

Rajkot is a major regional center for the arts, with many venues for the performing arts in the city. Hemu Gadhvi Natyagraha, one of the first non-profit regional theatres, is rich with history and dedicated to the Gujarati Play.

Music

Rajkot has its own native music genre, called Dayro, which is used to convey folk stories and sayings. Rajkot also inherited Kathiyawadi folk music.The city also has various orchestra groups, which perform professionally. They mainly perform the music albums from Bollywood.

Sports

Cricket is the most famous sport in the city. One-day internationals, domestic tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy, the Duleep Trophy and many inter-school and collegiate tournaments are played at the Madhavrao Sindhia Cricket Ground. The newly constructed 2nd International Cricket Stadium situated in Rajkot, Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, formerly known as Khandheri Cricket Stadium, is a cricket stadium in Khandheri, about 15 kilometres outside Rajkot, India. The Stadium has a capacity of 28,000 to 32,000 spectators. In this cricket stadium Day/Night matches can now also be played. The stadium hosted its 1st International Cricket Match played on 11 January 2013 between India and England. The stadium will part of a larger sports complex that will include venues for other sports such as badminton, basketball, and volleyball. It will host Saurashtra Cricket Association matches along with Madhavrao Sindhia Cricket Ground. Rajkot has produced cricketers such as K S Ranjitsinhji, Karsan Ghavri and Cheteshwar Pujara who have been members of the Indian cricket team. Rajkot has many other cricket grounds around city, including Railway Cricket Ground and Rajkumar College South Ground. Apart from cricket, other sports such as hockey, association football, volleyball, badminton, tennis, table-tennis, chess, swimming and squash are rapidly growing popular in the city.[citation needed] There has been a significant increase in recent years in the number of private sports clubs, gymkhanas and gymnasiums. Kathiawar gymkhana, indoor stadium and swimming pools of Rajkot Municipal Corporation are major sports clubs in city. Recently, the Gujarat Hockey Team (Under 14) was assembled with all 16 players coming from Rajkot.A new modernised cricket ground is even under construction at the outskirts. There are numerous swimming pools too. Rajkot Municipal Corporation also owns a 9 hole golf course at Ishwaria. It is maintained by Green Meadows Golf Club

FestivaL

Bandstand in Jubilee Garden

Garba, a dance form, is popular both with men and women and is performed during the Navratri festival. The dance starts before midnight and continues until dawn. Mata Ambe, who rides a Lion, has a special reverential status with any highly religious Gujarati. The 'Janmastami Mela' organises by for five days at the Race Course grounds to celebrate Janmastami. Diwali is the New Year for Hindus and people celebrate by doing Ma Laxmi Pujan. Moharam is new year of Muslim. Muslim's also celebrate ramzan Eid and bakri Eid. Rajkot Municipality arranges the Firecracker Show for the citizens of Rajkot. People clean and paint their houses and purchase new clothes to wear on New Year's Day. Dhuleti is the colour festival and Mahashivratri is God Shiva's day. People also celebrate Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) on 14 January by flying kites from their terraces. Other holidays are Ganesh Utsava, Ram Navami, Mahavir Jayanti etc. Since Rajkot has people from many different castes and races, their various celebrations occur throughout the year.